Dbacks beat Reds 3-1 for series split

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CINCINNATI(AP) -- The NL Central leaders left town with one
intention - bring back a title.

The Cincinnati Reds' playoff push slowed a bit Thursday, when
Rodrigo Lopez held their league-leading offense in check for
seven innings of Arizona's 3-1 victory. The Reds hit the road
with a comfortable lead and a chance to clinch a playoff spot
during their eight-game trip to Houston, Milwaukee and San
Diego.

The Reds went 4-3 on a homestand against the league's two worst
clubs - Pittsburgh and Arizona - to move themselves a few wins
away from their first playoff appearance since 1995.

"We're getting close," said Edinson Volquez (3-3), who is trying
to be part of the playoff rotation. "We don't have that many
left. If we win the series in Houston, it will be real exiting.
We'll be really close."

Close enough that they no longer worry about St. Louis, the one
team with any chance of catching them.

"We're in a good situation," said Jonny Gomes, who drove in
Cincinnati's run off Lopez (6-14). "We don't have to scoreboard
watch, we really don't. We've done a good job of keeping our
eyes on the prize."

The Reds have such a big lead - eight games over St. Louis to
start the day - that they can consider options for their playoff
rotation. Volquez is trying to pitch his way into it.

The 2008 All-Star had reconstructive elbow surgery last summer
and is still rounding into form. He returned to the rotation in
July but was so inconsistent that he got sent to the minors for
two starts to fix his flaws. In two starts back, he's been
better.

Last Saturday, he allowed only one hit in seven shutout innings
against Pittsburgh. He gave up six hits and three runs in 6 2-3
innings against Arizona, throwing a pair of wild pitches. He
also fanned seven, although that wasn't so noteworthy - the
Diamondbacks are about to break the major league record for
strikeouts in a season.

Volquez walked the first two batters to open the fifth, then
gave up a run-scoring double to Gerardo Parra. Singles by
Stephen Drew and Kelly Johnson made it 3-1.

Manager Dusty Baker likes what he's seen out of Volquez in his
last two starts.

"He's throwing as well as anybody we have right now," Baker
said. "That's a positive sign. He threw the ball real good. That
one inning he lost command of the strike zone a little bit."

Lopez was solid all the way through. He gave up eight hits and
didn't walk a batter while winning for the first time since July
8.

Lopez was 0-7 with a 6.53 ERA in his last 11 starts. He allowed
only a first-inning run - Drew Stubbs singled and scored when
Gomes' fly to center went off Chris Young's glove on the warning
track, dropping for a double.

"He's got a big smile on his face, I know that," manager Kirk
Gibson said. "It's been a long time coming. He's fought through
it, worked hard and made adjustments."

Lopez pitched out of scoring threats in the fourth and fifth
innings against the NL's most prolific offense. Juan Gutierrez
pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 12 tries.

"I started feeling more confident," Lopez said. "I'm not
fighting myself. I'm keeping the ball down and just letting it
go. I'm keeping more focused during the game."

Arizona split the four-game series, finishing 3-7 against the
Reds this season. Arizona has lost 12 of its last 15 against
Cincinnati.

The Diamondbacks fanned nine times, moving ahead of the 2008
Marlins for second place on the all-time list with 1,373
strikeouts this season. The 2001 Brewers set the major league
record by fanning 1,399 times.

Arizona has struck out at least a dozen times in eight of its
last 10 games.

NOTES: Drew extended his hitting streak to seven games. ... The
Reds traded RH reliever Enerio Del Rosario to Houston for cash.
The 24-year-old appeared in nine games with Cincinnati during
the first half of the season, posting a 2.08 ERA without a
decision. ... 3B Scott Rolen and 2B Brandon Phillips were out of
the starting lineup, getting a day of rest after a night game.
... OF Jim Edmonds pinch-hit and flied out, his first appearance
since he strained abdominal muscles in August.